"Steadfast cooperation with the Holy Spirit."

I could allow God to transform me into a new person by changing the way I think.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Acts 17:15, 22-18:1

Paul was taken as far as

Athens by his escort, who then returned to Beroea

with instructions for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible.

 

 Then Paul stood up in the Areopagus hall and said, "Athenian citizens,

I note that in every way you are very religious. As I walked around looking at your shrines,

I even discovered an altar with this inscription: To an unknown God. Now,

what you worship as unknown, I intend to make known to you.

 

God, who made the world and all that is in it, does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands,

being as he is Lord of heaven and earth. Nor does his worship depend on anything made by human hands,

as if he were in need. Rather, it is he who gives life and breath and everything else,

to everyone. From one stock he created the whole human race, to live throughout all the earth,

and he fixed the time and the boundaries of each nation. He wanted them to seek him by themselves,

even if it was only by groping for him, that they succeeded in finding him.

 

Yet, he is not far from any one of us. For, in him, we live and move, and have our being;

as some of your poets have said: for we, too, are his offspring. If we are indeed God's offspring,

we ought not to think of divinity as something like a statue of gold or silver or stone, a product of human art and imagination.

 

But now, God prefers to overlook this time of ignorance; and he calls on all people to change their ways.

He has already set a day on which he will judge the world with justice through a man he has appointed.

And, so that all may believe it, he has just given a sign, by raising this man from the dead."

 

When they heard Paul speak of a resurrection from death, some made fun of him, while others said,

"We must hear you on this topic some other time." At that point Paul left. But a few did join him, and believed.

Among them were Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus court, a woman named Damaris, and some others.

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

 

Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14 Heaven and earth are full of glory.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

John 16:12-15

I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now.

When he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into the whole truth.

For he will not speak of his own authority, but will speak what he hears,

and he will tell you about the things which are to come. He will take what is mine and make it known to you;

in doing this, he will glorify me. All that the Father has is mine; for this reason,

I told you that the Spirit will take what is mine, and make it known to you.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Steadfast cooperation with the Holy Spirit."

Some passages of the Acts of the Apostles describe huge crowds converting to the Christian faith.

Today's passage is not one of them. After Saint Pauls' great speech in Athens only a few join him.

Many laugh in his face at the notion that someone could rise from the dead,

while others leave the court in perplexity, needing more time to consider this.

 

Here we have three different reactions to the Good News of Jesus Christ: acceptance,

rejection and uncertainty. The same reactions are true in every age.

The passage tells us something of the mission of the Church and how faith is received by people.

The Church's missionary activity is not to be understood in terms of statistics, but rather as a steadfast cooperation with the Holy Spirit.

 

We trust in his action, and we are to remain his faithful instruments whether someone accepts the Gospel or not.

Just as the whole truth was too much for the disciples before Pentecost,

so people come to faith at different times according to when the Spirit has enabled them to accept the truth.

Let's never lose heart, but always hope in the Lord, trusting in his powerful action in people's lives.